Preseason Power Rankings

The dust has settled, and the draft is officially in the books. A new season brings fresh changes, chief among them the long-awaited shift to a keeper league. With that transition now finalized, GMs across the board are adjusting to a brand-new fantasy football landscape; one where long-term strategy matters just as much as weekly matchups. Rosters are as stacked as ever, and the stakes feel higher. So before kickoff, let’s take an inside look at each squad—praising the powerhouses, critiquing the question marks, and stirring up a healthy dose of preseason hype.

1. Virden — Grade: A+

Virden walked away from the draft with what looks like a juggernaut. Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, Alvin Kamara, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Patrick Mahomes form a five-headed monster that gives this team firepower at every position. Throw in Hockenson at tight end and a bench stocked with Deebo Samuel and Christian Kirk, and it’s hard to find a weak spot. Grabbing Marvin Harrison Jr. in the fourth round was an absolute steal, while Jordan Mason in the ninth felt like a wasted dart. Still, with elite balance and depth, this roster is the preseason favorite.

2. EvanUnruh — Grade: A

EvanUnruh built a sturdy, veteran-heavy team that can compete right away. Josh Jacobs and James Cook anchor the backfield, while A.J. Brown and Calvin Ridley give him explosiveness at wide receiver. Joe Burrow brings steady QB production, and Brandon Aiyuk in the 11th round might have been the best value pick in the entire draft. The only real head-scratcher was taking rookie WR M. Golden in the seventh, but the upside might pan out. This team’s mix of proven veterans and sneaky depth puts them firmly in title contention.

3. nolioli — Grade: A

Talk about top-heavy firepower: nolioli loaded up on Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, and Tyreek Hill in the first three rounds, creating one of the scariest RB-WR trios in the league. McLaurin, burner Xavier Worthy, and veteran Cooper Kupp make the WR room even deeper, while David Njoku provides steady TE play. Nick Chubb in the ninth felt like an unnecessary gamble after last year’s injury, but snagging Hill at 3.7 more than makes up for it. If the RBs stay healthy, this roster could dominate.

4. joshholtcamp — Grade: A-

With CeeDee Lamb, rising phenom Brock Bowers, and Breece Hall, joshholtcamp hit the draft with a perfect balance of youth and established talent. Jalen Hurts in the fourth gives him an elite dual-threat QB, and the WR depth, highlighted by Zay Flowers and Chris Olave, is outstanding. If there’s a concern, it’s the late-round dart throws like Joshua Palmer or the Commanders defense, which may not return much value. Still, the top half of this roster has so much firepower that it should more than cover any soft spots, making this team a strong contender out of the gate.

5. avfandel — Grade: B+

Avfandel took the “star power first” approach and it paid off. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Allen, Travis Kelce, DeVonta Smith, and Stefon Diggs headline a lineup that could win any given week by sheer force. There are questions in the RB room, Chuba Hubbard in the third was a reach, and rookie Quinshon Judkins is a bit of a lottery ticket. However, Kenneth Walker does provide stability. Diggs in the eighth was a bargain that keeps this team in the mix for a top seed.

6. ShawDawg62 — Grade: B+

This roster is built the old-school way: stockpiling running backs. Saquon Barkley, Kyren Williams, James Conner, and Tony Pollard give ShawDawg62 a rock-solid RB core, while Tee Higgins, D.J. Moore, and Jaylen Waddle balance things out at WR. Jared Goff at QB isn’t flashy, but he’s reliable enough for this squad. The weakest pick was rookie RB Skattebo in the eighth. He’s more of a long shot than a contributor. Still, the depth and balance make this team playoff-ready.

7. Basden_ — Grade: B

Basden_ leaned into youth and upside, starting with Jahmyr Gibbs and De’Von Achane. Add in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sam LaPorta, and Michael Pittman, and you’ve got a foundation of young stars who could explode this year. Dak Prescott provides stability at QB, and Joe Mixon was a nice mid-round value. The questionable move was taking Tyrone Henderson in the fifth, a bit rich for a committee back. Still, if the youth movement clicks, this could be a dark horse contender.

8. tstennis3 — Grade: B

Zero-RB drafters, rejoice. Tstennis3 loaded up on wideouts early with Justin Jefferson, Drake London, and George Pickens, then sprinkled in Rome Odunze and Emeka Egbuka for future firepower. George Kittle locks down TE, while Justin Herbert in the 10th was daylight robbery. The RBs (Hampton, Swift, Spears, Blue, Allgeier) are unproven, but if one or two pop, this team could scare people. High ceiling, high risk.

9. handydandygandy — Grade: B-

Handydandygandy went big with Bijan Robinson and Lamar Jackson as cornerstones, then added DK Metcalf, David Montgomery, and Mark Andrews for a balanced core. The issue? Way too many tight ends. After Andrews, this team still drafted T. Warren, C. Loveland, and even a late Hunter Henry. Those wasted roster spots could have gone toward WR/RB depth. Still, the elite pieces keep this team dangerous despite some draft mismanagement.

10. Wilkes — Grade: C+

Wilkes doubled down on youth and upside, and the results are intriguing but risky. Nabers, Nico Collins, Garrett Wilson, and J. Daniels form a young nucleus that could be special, but the RB room is shaky with little proven production outside of R. Harvey. Tank Bigsby in the ninth was especially puzzling given his lack of role. If the young core breaks out, this team could shock people, but it might be a year early.

11. Lweezy4 — Grade: C+

Ja’Marr Chase and Davante Adams headline Lweezy4’s draft, but beyond that the roster feels patchy. Ray Davis Stevenson in the 11th was an incredible value pick, but relying on rookies like Bo Nix and Drake Maye at QB feels unstable. RB depth is questionable, and the double-dipping at TE (Evan Engram, Hunter Henry) doesn’t add much upside. This squad will go as far as Chase and Adams can carry it.

12. mitchellsones — Grade: C

Mitchellsones took a lot of swings, but most of them felt like reaches. Jeanty in the first was bold, but the value just wasn’t there compared to safer options. Mike Evans and Rashee Rice help stabilize things, and Brock Purdy in the 10th was a solid QB grab, but picks like Croskey-Merritt in the ninth and backup backs in the late rounds hurt the overall build. This is a project team that will need waivers to bail them out.

That’s the preseason landscape in a nutshell.

On paper, Virden looks like the team to beat, but as any seasoned fantasy fan knows, this league is wide open. Mitchellsones might be facing a tougher road this year, but with two titles in the last three seasons and one of the best winning percentages among GMs, you can bet he’ll be active on the waiver wire and managing his roster to the wire. In this league, no one is out of the hunt just yet.